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PUBLISHED BY 

L' ARTISTE PUBLISHING CO. 

NEW YORK. 



COPYRIGHT BY 

MARIE ROBINSON WRIGHTo 

1893. 



8V TRANSFER 
RU. AM.TIEPUB. 

MAY 9 \m5 



PRINT OF 

L'ARTISTE PUBLISHING CO. 

7 WARREN ST., N. Y. 



DEBIGATION 



I am greally lionnrni in tlie privilege (if dedicaiin.i;- tliis 
record of 1113' visit to Salvador to President Carlos Ezeta and 
General Antonio E/.etd.— Par Noblle Fratrum. Illustrions alike, 
3'et diverse, both superbly endowed. 

" Now tliere are diversities of gifts but tlie same spirit," and 
betAveen tliese two tliere exists a beautiful liarmony— the liigliest 
type of fraternity. Their splendid prowess in war is matched by 
their conceptions and achievements in peace, and their courage 
and wisdom have made their Republic the cynosure of civilized 
nations. 1 .■ . 




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(4) DK. DON DAVID CASTRO. 

(5) DK. DON ES'I'EVAN CASTRO. 

(8) DR. DON DOMINGO JAIMENEZ. 



(li) DR. DON NICOLAS ANGULO. 

(1) GENERAL CARLOS EZETA, President of Salvador. 

(8) GENERAL ANTONIO EZETA, Vice-President of Salvador. 



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SALVADOR 



Like a glorious tropic flower throivn upon the pulsing tide of the 
peaceful ocean, Salvador rests upon the Pacific. It is located in Central 
America, bordered b^^ Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua, and its sea front 
measures one hundred and thirt5^-nine miles. It is bounded on the north by 
Honduras and Guatemala; on the east b}^ Honduras and the Gulf of Fonesca, 
which separates it from Nicaragua; on the south by the Pacific Ocean, and 
on the west by Guatemala. It is a land of great present prosperity and 
illimitable resources and possibilities. 

The approaches to this jewel of a Republic are wonderfully novel and 
enchanting. The gradual floating down into the tropics is a sensation restful 
and full of an unreal and dream-like charm. It is almost too marvelous, too 
beautiful to be true! Our first sight of these magical shores w-as like that 
of a noted traveler: "The sky was ruddy, the air fresh and invigorating, 
but soft as the gates of Paradise. We were in the tropics. You would 
have known it with your eyes shut; the whole wonderful atmosphere con- 



12 SA L V A DOR. 

fessed it. But with 3'our e_ves open, those white birds sailing like snow-flakes 
through the immaculate blue heavens, with tail-feathers like our pennant, the 
floating gardens of the sea through which we had been ruthlessl}^ ploughing 
for a couple of da3^s back; the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets — all were, proofs 
positive of our latitude." 

This gives one a sense of spiritual enlargement and freedom, but the 
body is soon to be imprisoned in the most wonderful of all landing appli- 
ances. The ships anchor several miles off the coast, at the port of La 
Libertad, or Acajulta, and passengers and freight are transported to the long 
out-jutting piers b}" launches. Here 3^ou are by no means landed, as 3^ou have 
3'et to be caged and swung to the platform. As you sit in 3^our lighter vou 
see descending from above a huge iron cage or elevator. This holds six 
people. It plumps down into 3^our boat and 3^ou are asked to step in. As 
soon as it receives its proper number the boatman shuts the door and signals 
the engineer on the landing above — oh, so far above! — and 3'-ou are swung 
out over the tossing waves like a scrap of paper in a gale. Almost before 
3^ou have time to realize the distance, you are raised with a swing and a 
swoop; it lands 3'ou on the blessed, solid platform. The sensation is ex- 
tremel3^ novel, but the transit is brief and no accidents ever happen to the 
flying cage. 

H^ The history of Salvador is an inspiring one, filled with the records of 
th'e deeds of dauntless men and tragic eras, all tending to the gradual civil- 
ization and enlightenment in affairs of both church and State that make the 
little republic of to-day so alluring to the traveler, so full of promise to the 
settler and investor. \ \ £er— net onlyis^ a land of delightful tradition and 
physical beauty, but it abounds in splendid resources, many of which are still 
in a virgin or undeveloped state. The earliest inhabitants known to the his- 
torian were the Aztecas and Nahautls, the same races that founded Nicaragua 
and the other republics of Central America and the Mexican Empire. Over 
three centuries of association with the whites, and the influence of long 
Spanish domination, has, of course, vastly changed, if not obliterated, the 
charactei:ifetics of the aboriginal population, yet there are certain sections where 
the primitive traits, customs and tongue have been retained to a surprising 




( / 




14 SALVADOR. 

degree. This shows itself especially in the names of places, which in some 
instances are almost the same in spelling and pronunciation that they were 
nearh' four centuries ago. The clinging to old speech and old ways is more 
marked in that portion of the republic known as Costa del Balsinw, or Balsam 
Coast. Here many of the old rites and usages prevail. It is the stronghold 
of the balsam product, which is ver}" valuable, but extremely rare. This 
territory is a strip of land h^ing along the coast, between the ports of Acajulta 
and La Libertad. It is situated to the seaward from the volcanic range, and 
consists of an extensive forest of balsam trees. These aboriginals have a 
monopoh^ of this industr}^ are supported entirely b}^ it; and live in unmo- 
lested seclusion. The}'' are extremel}- clannish, and while the}" visit the outer 
world for purposes of barter and trade when necessar3% the}" do not invite or 
even countenance visitors to their forest fastnesses. They live on the co-opera- 
tive or community plan — all their earnings are given in charge of old men, 
called ahaules, who are not only treasurers, but priests, and keep sacred both 
the altar and the strong-box of the nation. These wise counsellors are all 
powerful in their administration of the public moneys, and they decide the 
needs of each family and distribute the funds accordingly. There is a belief 
throughout the republic that this tribe is possessed of a vast treasure of money, 
as their revenues are large and their needs exceedingly simple; and the tra- 
dition exists to the effect that their surplus income is buried once a year with 
sacred and secret ceremonials. Those who have caught glimpses of them in 
their forest seclusion report that both sexes go entirely nude, save for a breech 
clout, but when they appear in the towns they are clothed in the cotton 
costumes usual to the peones. They are dark in color, large in stature, silent, 
unsocial, dignified, said to be temperate in their habits, hard working, honor- 
able in their dealings with others and peaceful among themselves. They are 
called Balsimos. They plant just enough grains and other vegetable crops for 
their own use. They numlier only about twenty-two hundred, and are sup- 
posed to sell between twenty and thirty thousand dollars worth of balsam each 
vear. Their festivals and religious ceremonies are said Id be extremely 
barbaric. RTlie balsam trees are treated after the manner of our pines in the 
turpentine industr}', though, of course, without the aid of modern appliances. 



isWflSf^JelBWlilKA' 




16 SALVADOR. 

The hardened product is wrapped in leaves and sent to market. It goes b)^ 
the name of Peruvian balsam, as the first known to commerce came from 
Peru, but the suppl}^ now is derived exclusively from the Balsimos of 
Salvador. 

This balsam is ver}" rarel)" found b}^ strangers seeking the Avonderful 
tree. The natives alone know of its existence, its peculiarities and its proper- 
ties. I know from personal observation that it cannot be found even b}^ 
medical experts who claim to know it at sight. The secret is boi"n with the 
natives, and the}" guard it with their lives. Yet in New York and in other 
large cities it is found, shipped b}" these Indians yearl3\ 

Wa}" back as far as history reaches, and where it is hardh'^ to be dis- 
tinguished from tradition, the land now known as Salvador was said to have 
been well peopled and to have had large towns and villages built of lime 
and stone. The original name of the countr}^ was Cuscatlan, which meant 
" Tierra de prefeas o' freseas," — land of riches — which refers to its beauty, 
the fertility and variet}' of its soil products, as well as to its precious min- 
erals, as Cuscatl is the original for jewels or valuable gems. In ancient times 
the people were ruled by local chiefs, and the country at large seemed to 
have no king or chief ruler. They had a kind of organized priesthood and 
many religious feasts and ceremonials. The}' worshipped the sun and had 
idols to whom the}" made sacrifice. Their rites were similar to those of others 
of the Aztecs in their barbarity and the frequent sacrifice of human victims. 
Immorality was punished by whipping, robbers were banished from the coun- 
try, and murderers were killed by being thrown from a high rock. 

Although Alvarado reported the finding of substantial cities and towns, 
there is little left now to confirm his statements, and these consist mainly of 
mounds, terraces, towers and subterranean galleries, with here and there long 
stretches of city walls, with occasional carvings and sculptures. 

San Salvador, the noble capital of the republic, is eighteen miles from 
the coast, and has an elevation ot 2.S00 feet. Its neighbors are volcanoes, 
two of them being active. Yzalco is the king of the group, and is con- 
stantly sending forth his llaming and thunderous proclamations. When in 
full eru])tion this l)urning jjealc is a siglit of inexpressible awe and grandeur. 



SA L ]' A D OR 



17 



It is called "El Faro del Salvador" — "The Lij^lithouse of Salvador." San 
Salvador was founded by Alvarado, a brother of the ,u;reat Cortez. It occu- 
pies a most conimandin<r and beautiful situation. It is located on a grand 




mountain plain, or table land, facing the sea on the south, and girdled by 
lofty ranges on the three other sides. The climate is delicious, as the pre- 
vailing winds come laden with the vigor and coolness of the sea. Besides, 
the streams in its neighborhood are man}^ and nature is always verdant and 
fresh. The water system through the streets is complete, and in this wa}^ 
gardens are kept green and luxurious, and the tinkle of fountains pla3^s a 
soft accompaniment to the murmur of citv sounds. The dwellings, for the 
most part, are of one stor)^ not imposing from the outside, but marvels of tropic 



SAL V A D O R . 19 

comfort inside, and all supplied with the open court, or patio, where trees, 
hammocks and falling waters make life a dream of oriental restfulness. 

The cathedral is magnificent in proportions and decorations, colored 
tiles, gilding and paintings. The President's palace is an abode befitting his 
dignity and rank, and there are many other buildings imposing and attractive 
that are shown in ni}" illustrations. In church the women do not wear hats 
or bonnets, but the more graceful high combs, gold pins and lace mantillas. 
They light up the cathedral, these flashing visions of black hair, cream-like 
complexions and love-lit eves. Thev love color, jewehy and lace, and wear 
costl}" chains of gold and ropes of pearls. The poorer classes are scarcely 
less picturesque — the men barefoot, in baggy trousers and braided jackets, and 
the women garbed in gav skirts with snow-white blouses or chemises low- 
necked and short-sleeved. One feels in looking at this radiant people so 
full of light and color that thev could never be reproduced by pencil, pastel 
or the neutral shades employed b}' the photographer. Only the richest oils 
could give an idea of their superb coloring, or, better still, the tints hlched 
from the rainbow or from the fl3'ing glor}" of autumn leaves. 

The Constitution gives the legislative power to the National Assembly, 
composed of three deputies from each of the fourteen departments, or forty-two 
in all, allowing two alternates for each department. This assembl)'' is renewed 
ever}^ 3^ear, the election taking place on the first Sunday in January, and all 
members are eligible to re-election. The judicial power rests in a supreme 
court, composed of eleven magistrates, and other primary and secondary courts 
and justices of the peace. 

The administration' of the aft'airs of state are vested in a President, 
who is elected, by general suffrage, for four years. He appoints four min- 
isters to conduct the different branches of the government. At this time the 
chief ruler of the republic is President Carlos Ezeta, and his Cabinet are: Dr. 
Don David Castro, Dr. Don Esteran Castro, Dr. Don Domingo Jaimenez, Dr. 
Don Nicolas Angulo and General Antonio Ezeta. 

San Salvador has, of course, a public park. It is handsomely laid out, 
and is embowered with splendid palms, bread-fruit trees, bananas, cacti and 
other large-leafed and flowering trees. The paths are paved and bordered 




INTEKIOR VIKWS HOTKl..— SAN SALVADOK. 



SA L V A DOR. 21 

with blooming things, and the outer rim of tlie entire pleasiiancc is enriched 
witli a double row of orange trees, alwa3"S a roj^al sight, in leaf, blossom 
and fruitage. Here a well-conducted band plays a choice program of classic 
music two nights in the week, and these occasions are general festivals to 
the music-loving populace. The park has an ample supply of seats, summer 
houses and pagodas and is well lighted. Here the music of the Spanish 
tongue rivals the melody of the orchestra, the e3"es of the native beauties 
put to shame the artificial lights, and the filmy smoke of the cigarette, 
pufted from ros_v feminine lips, mingles with the odors of the flowers. 

Along the country roads there is much to charm the e^'e of the traveler. 
Palms, "those exclamation points in the poetry of tropic landscapes;" gloss}'' 
coffee-bushes, bananas with their red and yellow fruit, oranges, spheres of gold 
and stars of sweetest perfume; sugar cane (a stately plant), maize and other 
flourishing grains. Here and there are palm-thatched huts, now and then a 
more luxurious mansion, strange old-fashioned carts and carriages, the latter 
drawn b}' three mules harnessed abreast; processions on muleback — all these 
are seen, with enchanting vistas, glimpsed through long well-kept hedges and 
glorious bits of scener}' — now a rich valle_v; now a volcanic peak; now a range 
of ameth_vstine mountains — ever_y where beauty, abundance, grandeur! "This," 
says a delighted traveler, "was Arcadia shut in b_v jealous Nature from the 
rest of the world. This was Utopia surviving in rustic quiet and sylvan 
simplicit3^ life and long feasi derived from the riches 3'ielded b}^ an exuberant 
and grateful soil." 

>\- The traveler in Salvador will be impressed by the unfailing a«d~^!ST5Ttisite— 
courtes}" of the people. The}^ are ever willing to give aid, information, or to 
bestow charming gifts in the wa}" of flowers, dulces and other products of 
the countr}-. The ruling impulse seems to be one of generous hospitalit3^ 
and their phrases convey so much kindliness, so much good will, that their 
greetings have a flavor of genuine homage. The working people are just as 
polite as the aristocrac3^ and no laboring man passes a lad}^ on the streets 
without raising his hat. In the countr}' highways and bj^wa^'S the salutations 
are even more cordial and personal, and one is often greeted with words of 
blessing and cheer^:thus: " Ma}^ 3?our patron saint protect 3'ou from danger; ' 



22 SALVADOR. 

"Ma}^ Heaven smile upon 3'our path;" " Ma}^ the Blessed Virgin watch over 
5^our journey;" all this couched in the soft, melodious syllables of the sweet 
tongue derived from the Spanish: 

" The talk of Spanish men 
With Southern intonation, vowels turned 
Caressingly between the consonants, 
Persuasive, willing, with such intervals 
As music borrows from the wooing birds 
That plead with subtly curving swift descent." 

The feasts of the Salvadorians are peculiarh'' interesting. They celebrate 
man}^ da3"S of patriotic importance, anniversaries of historical events. There 
is no half-wa}^ or half-hearted joining in these occasions. The enthusiasm 
is warm and general. All places of business are closed, and the entire popu- 
lation given over to merrj^-making. The streets are brilliantly and profusely 
decorated, high mass is celebrated in the morning, and the da}^ is devoted to 
patriotic speeches, processions, music and universal glorification, and at night 
there are suppers, fireworks, balls and banquets 'til the stars fade into the 
roseate dawn. The grand feast days of all the 5^ear are Christmas and the 
da}" of the patron saint. Saint Michael — or San Miguel. These are largel}' 
religious, with the inevitable mixture of fairs, fire-works and out-of-door 
pastimes. At Christmas the gayeties partake somewhat of the nature of a 
carnival, and bon-bons, floral offerings and egg-shells filled with perfume, are 
tossed about in the crowd. Christmas trees are a feature, and in many houses 
a room is fitted up to portray the manger and Naciamcnto, or birth of the 
Saviour. These representations are ver}^ realistic and impressive. A great 
display is made at the Cathedral, where there are long and magnificient 
ceremonies, a vast outlay of monev in lights and decorations and a wonderful 
service of music, at which not onlv the leading orchestras and vocalists of 
the country assist, but the military bands also. The most beautiful woman 
in the cit)'^ is posed as the Virgin, and this selection is esteemed an exalted 
honor. 

The markets in a strange countrv are always points of attraction, as 
it is here that one sees the people face to face, in their native dress, and 
receives valuable impressions of their customs and of the products of the 





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24 SALVADOR. 

country. In San Salvador it is near tlie Catliedral. It is a rambling building, 
floored with cement. Here strange fruits, flowers, vegetables, birds, handwork 
are to be bought at temptingl}^ low prices. Outside of the building, the Indian 
vendors are ranged, their goods displa3^ed in an enticing manner, which is 
enhanced by their agreeable and smiling solicitations. All is good-humored 
rivalr}' and gentleness, and though these dark-e3^ed, dark-skinned hucksters 
are presumabl}" badly off in this world's goods, their air is so serene that one 
thinks "their waj^s {must) be wa3"s of pleasantness, and their paths be paths 
of peace." 

It is an established fact that there are many circumstances which power- 
full}^ contribute both towards the development of a countr3^'s material resources 
and its advancement on the high roads of civilization, but at the same time, 
it cannot be denied that there are necessar}' men whose character and abilities 
determine a marked progress on a nation's destin3', and where brilliant career 
and worthy deeds impress their seal on the historical period that witnessed 
their success. 

The two foremost figures in the history of Salvador are Carlos and 
Antonio Ezeta, the president and vice-president of this Republic. These two 
brothers have by their patriotism, courage and many attributes, -won the affec- 
tion and admiration of their countrvmen, who regard them as ' ' the Siamese 
brothers of valor, patriotism and glorv." Carlos Ezeta was born in San 
Salvador, on the 14th of June, 1853 ; his parents being Colonel Eligio Ezeta, 
and Dona Asuncion de Leon. After mastering the rudiments of an education, 
he was placed under the tutelage of the Spanish General, Luis Perez Gomez, 
director of the National Military Academ3^ who took charge of his technical 
training. While here, a mere cadet, Carlos saved the life of the then Presi- 
dent of Salvador, Don Erancisco Duenas, which was threatened by the 
revolutionists under General Santiago Gonzales. In 1S72, young Ezeta was 
transferred to the (uiard of Honor of Marshal Gonzales, as a lieutenant. 
While holding this commission, his voung soul, hungry lor glory, he ottered 
his services to Honduras, and fought against the go\crnnient of General 
Mcclina until it was overthrown. llis l)ravcry made him a first lieutenant, 
and in 1873 he earned his captains bars, after having won distinction and 



nn''' ' 












SA L V A DOR. ,27 

renown. After the death of General Espinosa, in June, 1875, under whom he 
had served, he went to Nicaragua and Costa Rica, where he sta^-ed in volun- 
tar}' exile for a 3^ear. On his return to Salvador, in 1876, at the outset of the 
administration of Zaldivar, he was appointed military instructor of the garrison 
of San Salvador, ranking as lieutenant-colonel. This was the onl}" era in 
Zaldivar's term, when the republic had really an}" regular troops — this being 
due to Ezeta's ability and discipline. 

As the result of a conspiracy against Zaldivar, in which Carlos Ezeta 
v/as engaged, he was expatriated with many of his comrades in arms. This 
exile was a modern odyssey, ranging through strange lands and beset by 
adventures and hardships. From Ncav Orleans he went to Belize, where he 
took passage in an open boat for Guatemala. His negro boatmen robbed him 
of everything and abandoned him on the island of Stancreke. From here he 
sailed in a small craft for Livingston, Guatemala, being tossed into that port 
at midnight in a howling storm. He made his way into the interior where 
he remained several years, and won confidence and esteem by his courage 
and industry. In 1885, he joined General Rufino Barrios, in the Unionist 
campaign, that came to its tragic end at Chalchuapa. In this campaign, as 
brigadier-general, at ' the head of the Guatemalan forces, he fought the 
Salvadorians under General Monterrosa, and drove him from San Lorenzo and 
Las Pozas. At this time, the revolution led by General Francisco Menendez 
developed, and General Carlos Ezeta was the soul and right arm of the move- 
ment. He wrote his fame on many bloody fields, and when, on June 22, 
1885, General Menendez entered the capital victorious, his first act was to 
make his brilliant assistant (Ezeta) Commandant and Military Governor of San 
Vicente. In 1886 General Ezeta, who, while in Guatemala, had met his first 
defeat and surrendered to a lovely daughter of that country, returned to 
Guatemala and married her. When he reached home he was made General in 
command of the Department of Santa Ana and Inspector-General of the Army. 
While in this office he made a brilliant record, and in 1889 stamped out the 
revolution of Cojutepec. His splendid courage and his constant successes in 
warfare enthralled his countrymen, and the Presidency was the reward tend- 
ered to him. On June 22, 1890, General Menendez, then President, had 



28 SAL V A DOR. 

determined to exile Ezeta to prevent his becoming his successor. This plot 
reached the ears of his (Ezeta's) comrades-in-arms, and the}^ at once decided 
to proclaim him their leader and install him in the Presidential chair. At 
nine o'clock on the night of June 22d, the brave General went to the artillery 
barracks in San Salvador and captured it single-handed, the troops there join- 
ing his cause. After a hard struggle his followers triumphed, and on the 23d 
of June he was proclaimed the head of the provisional government. Soon 
afterward. General Firnes, who was in command of three thousand men at 
San Miguel, tried to make them revolt, but as soon as it was known that he 
intended to march on the capital his brigade, to the last man, refused to go, 
and attacked and severel}^ wounded him. 

When Ezeta assumed executive control stagnation reigned in the republic, 
commerce was lifeless, industr^^ dormant. The treasur}" was increasing its 
liabilities, agriculture languished, the arm}' was disorganized, want was uni- 
versal. Surrounding himself with wise assistants he said: "I do not wish to 
make a government of idlers; ni}^ government is and shall be essentialh^ one 
of reconstruction, of work and of progress." To-da}' Salvador illustrates his 
wisdom and zeal. In all branches of trade and labor his clear and strong 
mind are to be traced. He has put the seal of his invincible character on all 
things. He is a frank, cordial and polished gentleman. His physieiue is attrac- 
tive and his moral attributes noble. As a testimony' to his unselfishness and 
braver_Y we copv a telegram sent to his brother at the front during the revolu- 
tion of 1890: 

"' General Antonio Ezeta: 1 presume that b}' this time my dear wife 
and tender children are in the hands of ni}' cowardly enemies, but even it you 
should find them slaughtered in the trenches do not hold back, but pass over 
them, if need be, to save the countr_v. Your brother, Carlos." 

There spoke the patriot, a lover, husband, an adoring father; but 
belorc all, and above all, a hero! 

The life of Antonio Ezeta is a romance dramtitized, an epic poem set to 
martial music. His deeds, particularly those of his military career, are heroic 
and glorious. His brother Carlos was a soldier by education. Antonio was 
born a son of Mars. (irandly endt)wed as to mental powers, he has by 



SA L V A DOR. 



29 



energy and close application made a name in the field of letters, and writes 
with vigor wedded to grace. In the dark days of exile and deprivation he 
dedicated himself to hard, manual labor with the same calm determination 
that marks his efforts to-day in the elevated work to which he consecrates 
his talents. In him who, in these severe privations of exile, kept time to 
the oars, with songs that were memories of home, there will be found the 




same intrepid, high-souled man who now fills loft^^ stations and is a moulder of 
the destinies of his people. iVntonio Ezeta was born on the 13th of June, 
1855, and since his early boj^hood he has shown man 3^ of the characteristics 
which have made him the great and glorious statesman of to-day. 

In the campaign of 1873, in which his brother Carlos served as adjutant 
on the staff of General Espirnoza, Antonio was sub-lieutenant. As young as 



30 SALVADOR. 

he was then ; he was a warrior, and at Axilla de la Paz he fought grandly in 
the hottest of the fra)'. The same 5^ear, at the terrible seven days' siege of 
Coma)^agua, he won his first lieutenancj^ by his distinguished gallantry. In 
1876, in the campaign against Guatemala, his braver}^ made him captain. In 
this campaign he was severel}^ wounded. Not favoring the polic}" of Zaldivar's 
administration, he went to Nicaragua, where for a }"ear he taught school and 
acted as town clerk. He then went to Honduras, where General Delgado 
made him his adjutant. Later, President Soto, seeing and appreciating his 
rare worth and military" talents, appointed him a lieutenant-colonel. A misun- 
derstanding caused him to go to Gracias, Honduras, and accept a government 
position. Here, in 1879, he was involved in a revolt against the Soto admin- 
istration, and after man}^ daring achievements he was captured, shamefull}^ 
flogged and kept in solitar}^ confinement. After some months he escaped in 
a tobacco canoe and made his wa3^ penniless, to Chinandega, Nicaragua. 
Scorning no honest service, this eminent man takes a noble pride in relating 
the adventures of this portion of his career. He varied his labor with liter- 
ar}^ pursuits and wrote many noteworth}^ articles for the papers. The most 
celebrated one, entitled "Nationality," caused his expulsion from Nicaragua 
in 1885. From thence he went to Costa Rica, sleeping nightl3\ en route, in 
the jails, where he was harshl}^ treated on account of the above-named article. 
Shortly after reaching Puntarenas, in Costa Rica, he was arrested as an agent 
of Barrios, who had just issued his decree proclaiming the Central American 
Union. Ezeta was forced to march thirt}^ leagues on weary feet to San Jose, 
where he was held in close continement until the death of Barrios. Un his 
release and return to vSalvador he joined forces with Menendez in the revo- 
lution which vanquished Zaldvar and ended in May, 1885. He was now a 
colonel and at the head of the first regiment of the army stationed at San 
Salvador. For three 3'ears he was Commandant of the port of Acajutla, or 
until the revolution of June, 1890, conceived and consummated l\v his fearless 
brother Carlos. 

During tliis revolution Antonio Ezeta, now a (ieneral, exhibited his 
sui)erb nii]it.-ir\' genius and made every mo\-enien1 n ])rilliant success. It is 
told of him that one niijht one of liis colonels aroused him from a sound 



32 SALVADOR. 

slumber and said: "General, we are lost, we are in a hole, in a blind aXley, 
without means of egress. See! the heights are bristling with men." Antonio 
Ezeta replied, calmh^: "If 3^ou are assailed with fear, return by the road; 
go home. You are relieved from all engagements. As for m3^self, I am 
resolved, and twent3^-five men will serve to open a way. They may defeat 
me, but not without Central America first trembling." He is a man of great 
determination and perfect faith in himself, which the following proves: 

On the 29th of July, 1890, General Ezeta found himself on the Guate- 
malan frontier fighting with 5000 Salvadoreans against 30,000 Guatemalans, 
when he received a telegram from his brother as to the treacher}^ of General 
Rivas. To this he made repl}^: "Within forty hours I shall have recovered 
the capital and punished the traitor." And he kept his word! 

When General Carlos Ezeta was elected President of Salvador, his 
brother Antonio was appointed Minister of War and the Interior. Owing to 
the state of his health, he was forced to resign in a short time, and went to 
Santa Ana to live, retaining onl}^ his commission as Major General in the 
arm3^ It was not long, however, before the grateful memor}" of his dis- 
tinguished services made him, b}^ popular vote, the Vice-President. Like 
Cincinnatus returned to his plow when no longer lured hy the clarion note of 
war, Antonio Ezeta has hung his sword upon the wall and dedicated his 
powers to the arts of peace. Antonio Ezeta now wields the pen, and at his 
magic touch there streams forth light, progress, harmony and union. His 
favorite themes,- upon which he writes most eloquentl}^ are the Central 
American union and permanent peace. 

Since the new administration of Carlos and Antonio Ezeta, many laws 
have been introduced that tend to aid in the development of agriculture and 
mining industries. All modern improvements that tend to make a country 
powertul have been brought here for the first time, ^md order prevails ever}'- 
where. There are fine military vschools established in San Miguel, Santa Ana 
and Salvador. The army, the pride of the whole country, is composed of fifty 
thousand well-drilled and disciplined soldiers, comfortably garrisoned and mag- 
nificently uniformed. 1 had the pleasure of seeing this grand army in one of 
their monthly reviews, in well-formed lines, at their noted park, Campo del 



34 SAL V A DOR. 

A4ars. It was a magnificent sight seldom beheld. Keeping the magic step 
and commanded by Central America's greatest General, Salvador's arm}^ echoes 
volumes of credit to its noble President and Chief. 

It was through these powerful rulers that new roads were built, new 
parks made, telegraphs from State to State, telephone from city to cit)^; in 
fact this whole administration has been one of progress. The}^ have proven 
themselves worthy of the love and respect of their compatriots. The}^ have 
guaranteed all the constitutional rights of their fellow-citizens. The}; have 
made a practical fact of the independence of the judicial and legislative 
bodies, and have introduced into Congress many laws to protect and help in 
all development. Without once recurring to the dictatorial measures born of 
ambitious views, they have managed to keep a peaceful countr}^ and, now free 
from the ravages of war, Salvador flourishes, a glorious example of good 
discipline and government. 

And so it is, their countr3^men will ever cherish the memor}- of exploits 
and valor, energ}^ and pluck when the da3^s of war seemed darkest, striving 
and struggling for freedom of a countr}^ beloved and fought for with the 
spirit of the Spartans, whose motto was to return with the shield or on it. 
Their names will be recorded in Salvador's histor3^ and posterit}" will know 
of the fathers of their prosperity. The}^ are not only first to plunge into 
heated battle when the countr}^ is threatened with war, but the_y have been 
called the advocates of peace in time of peace, and thus endeared to the 
hearts of their countrymen, they now reign as magistrates over a land that 
commands the peace and respect of all the world. 

Another of the most eminent diplomats of Salvador is Eduardo Poirier, 
who at the present writing is representing his republic at the Court of Mexico. 
He is a gentleman of abilit}^ and force, extremely affable and courtlv in manner 
and of most attractive and graceful appearance. He has added greatly to the 
pleasure of the stranger within the gates of Mexico during liis residence in 
that brilliant capital. Through his influence several important treaties have 
been concluded between Mexico and Salvador. 

FoREiGX l)i:r.i- — TliL' total foreign debt of vSalvador, in May, 1893, '^^'•^^ 
$3,614,000, or $5.16 1-3 per capita of population — a splendid showing, trul}^ 



SAL V A DOR 



35 



If the wealth of a country consists in the saving made after satisf5dng its 
necessities, Salvador is well justified in cotasidering herself prosperous, since 
she produces much more than she consumes, as may be seen from the fol- 
lowing statement giving the imports and exports for the five years from 1885 
to i88g inclusive: 




ISS6. 


ISS7. 


1888. 


1889. 


$2,427,643 


$3,343,820 


14,076,404 


$2,878,000 


4,754,649 


5.242,697 


6,707,024 


5,489,000 



Imports $2,134,095 

Exports 5,716,428 

Total exports in five years $27,909,798 

Total imports in five years 14,859,962 



36 SA L V A DOR. 

This shows that after satisf3^ing her necessities Salvador has saved 
$13,049,836, or an amount four times greater than her total foreign debt. 

In December, 1S92, Salvador bonds, which theretofore brought only fifty 
per cent., were being sought in London at seventy-five per cent. But Sal- 
vador might pay oft' her entire foreign debt, did she so desire, b}^ the sale of 
the national railwa}", seventy miles in length, which has alwa3'S been a lucra- 
tive business speculation, pa3nng a good interest on the capital invested. 

Public Ixstruction — Education is compulsor}^ in the Republic, and the 
best efforts of the Government are being put forward to establish primar}^ 
and other schools throughout its territor}". During the 3"ear 1S92 there were 
open 585 public schools for both sexes, with an attendance of 29,427 students. 
The number of teachers emplo3^ed was 793. This does not represent all the 
public schools, as a number were closed in various parts of the Republic. The 
expense to the Government for the support of public schools, libraries, etc., 
during the year 1892 was $308,382.50. There are, besides the foregoing, ten 
private primarv and grammar schools in Salvador, with a fair attendance, which 
are founded under the provisions of the laws regarding public instruction, and 
wdiich are subsidized b}^ the Government. 

Mines — Salvador has numerous deposits of gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, 
plumbago, zinc, coal, marbles, quicksilver, opals, asbestos, etc. In the eastern 
section ot the country there are several important mines, among which may be 
mentioned the Loma Larga, Corosal, Encuentros and Tabanco, which have 
yielded considerable quantities of gold and silver, leaving no doubt that with 
better s_vstems of exploitation prevailing their product would be largely increased. 

The great iron district is Metapan, to the west of the country. Unfor- 
tunately, the working of this metal is done by the old Catalan method, for 
which reason the success which should attach to mining in that territory is 
not achieved. To the north of Salvador, in the l)ei)artment of Cabanas, there 
have been discovered several \-eins ol precious metals and copper. 

Coal mines ha\"e 1)een also discovered at several points in the countiy. 
Hrowu coal, as the varietv is known, has been lound near the city of llobasco. 
capital of the district of the same name, in the Department ol Cabanas. 



38 SALVADOR. ' 

The railroads of Salvador comprise the Ferro Carril de Santa Ana, which 
is made up of the railwa}^ from the Port of Acajutla to Sonsonate, opened 
Jul}' 15, 1882. Its extension eastward from Sonsonate to Ateos, opened in 1886, 
was constructed b}" English capital, and the further extension, north from 
Ateos to Santa Ana, is now under contract, that reaching La Jo3^a will be 
opened this August. 

Moreover, a branch is proposed from Ateos eastwards to Santa Tecla, 
half of it alread}' constructed b}^ the Government, leaving onh' a few miles 
incomplete. This is under grading force directed b}' the Government emplo3'ees. 

A beautiful railwa}^ leading from Santa Tecla to San vSalvador, has been 
completed and will be opened to traffic during the 3'ear. This is a private 
enterprise. The extension road from Ateos to Santa Ana belongs to the 
Government. There is a concession granted for a railroad from San Salvador to 
La Union, while the continuation of the same, from San Miguel to La Union 
is under way, and bids fair to be of great benefit to the public. It ma}' be 
remarked that the parts of the Acajutla terminus of the Santa Ana Railway, 
as well as the adjoining port of La Libertad, are open road-steads, while 
La Union is a shelter harbor and a first-class port. 

The data regarding the railroads of the Republic is obtained from valu- 
able information given by Mr. A. J. Scherzer, a man of distiguished eminence 
in scientific pursuits and of most charming personalit}'. He has done more for 
the Central American advancement than an}- foreign financier in the southern 
Republics, and deserves credit in every form for the work he has so consist- 
ently accomplished for the countr}' and its people. 

The extent of the Republic of Salvador, is placed at 7,255 square miles, 
and the population, as stated officialh' in wSgi, at 777,895. The population, like 
that of most of the Republics of Central and South America, consists of the 
descendants of the Latin races, with some Indians and Negroes. There are of 
course some mixed races, known as Mestizos. The separate departments are 
controlled by a Governor and an alternate for each department with a General 
commandant, and the local aftairs of each town are administered l\v an alcalde, 
a syndic and two or more magistrates, as may be determined by the number 
of the population, all these officers being elected directly b}' the people. 




n^^i 



A^^^mv^Sm^SJi^-z^^ ■ -^»*«!^Pf.^K^|>«»=-^^r^^^_^»J. 





40 SALVADOR. 

San Salvador, "the cit}^ of our Saviour," the capital, was founded in 
1528, and has now a population between twent}^ and thirty thousand. The 
other cities of importance are: Santa Ana, Sonsonate, San Vicente, Ahau- 
chapan, San Miguel and Aco3^apa. The Catholic religion prevails, but there 
is absolute religious freedom and toleration. In, the matter of education the 
progress is rapid. Besides a fine S3^stem of public schools largeh^ attended, 
there are three universities and several flourishing colleges. Primar}^ education 
is free and compulsor3^ There are fifteen or twenty periodicals published in 
the Republic, and the}^ are ver}^ fair exponents of the enlightenment and 
advancement of the countr3^ The capital contains a valuable and interesting 
museum and an extensive national librar3^ The arm3" is well disciplined and 
splendidl3^ equipped, and is the best in Central America. 

The resources of this teeining and beautiful countr3^ are numberless, 
new riches being discovered ever3' 3^ear. It is absolutel3^ so productive in its soil 
products, so affluent in its mineral treasures, that it might be unmoored from 
the outer world, for all time, and suffer no want or deprivation as to the 
actual needs of human life and most of its luxuries. The chief products are 
coffee, tobacco, sugar, indigo, cacao, woods and medicinal plants, though 
there are countless other ci-ops, vegetable growths, shrubs and grains, with a 
long list of delicious fruits, fish and game birds. The mines are of gold, 
iron, silver, copper and mercur3'. The forests are rich and luxuriant, and 
flaming birds of splendid plumage brighten them like flocks of winged 
flowers. 

The principal railwa3' in operation at present is a line from Acajutla to 
Sonsonate, which is to extend to Amate Marin and thence to the capital. 
Those in course of construction or projected are to connect Acajutla and 
Santa Ana, La Union and San Miguel, La Libertad and San Salvador and 
La Union with the frontier towns of Guatemala. A tramway extends from 
San Salvador to Santa Tecla. The postal vservice is complete and eflicient, 
the telegraphic communications cxlcnsi\-c, and tbcre arc several hundred miles 
of telephone wires. The peso ol one hundred centavos, eipial to 04.9 cents, 
United States coin (July i, 1S92), is the monetary unit. The coins of Eng- 
land, Spain, France, United States and particularly the Peru\'ian soles and the 




\\in\K MoijjiC 



42 SA L V A D OR. 

Chilian pesos circulate freeh'.' One of the loveliest scenes on nature's vast 
canvas is a coffee plantation. The leaves of the plant are a very dark 
green, the flowers white and freighted with a rich aromatic incense, and the 
berries are red. These plantations in Salvador are numerous and wide in 
extent. The}' are cultivated with the utmost care and nicet}' — not a weed or 
blade of grass to be seen an5^where. The plants are set out in regular 
order and are of uniform size and height, so that the}^ present an almost 
hedge-like appearance. In the natural state the plant attains a height of 
fifteen feet or more, but when cultivated is cut back to about six or seven. 
The shrub is drooping and graceful, the flowers as sweet as the jessamine. 
When the fruit is ripe it looks not unlike the cranberry in size and color. 
This fruit contains each onh' two seeds or berries, which are found close 
together, the flat sides touching, separated only b}' the thinnest tissue. The 
plant requires a good soil and plenty of shade; so necessar}^ is the latter 
condition that shade trees, which branch out at the top, are often planted 
between the rows. Sometimes banana trees serve this purpose, and thus a 
double harvest is made. When the berries are gathered the}" are carried to 
a factor}', where they are run through a pulping machine, which denudes 
the berry and carries off the refuse or pulp, which makes an excellent fer- 
tilizer. Wheii the beans are washed and dried in the sun, they are then 
fanned or winnowed to free them of chaff or tissue, and they are then 
laboriously hand-picked and assorted into several grades. The labor in the 
fields is done by the men, that of the mills and sorting rooms by women 
and girls. Labor is cheap and plentiful, as in this abundant land food and 
clothing come without the stress and cruel burdens of countries that pride 
themselves on a more advanced civilization. 

After coffee the most important agricultural products are cacao, sugar, 
maize and indigo. Cotton has been raised with ease and a fine yield, and 
will undoubtedly in time become a large source of revenue. Indigo is largely 
grown, and it requires a very large quantity of the plants to produce a pound 
of it. It is native to the soil ("Indigofera Disperma"). It flourishes almost 
everywhere, and its cultivation is ver}' easy and simple — a clearing of the 





CAMPO DEL MOKTE 







AND VIEW OP SANTA ANA. 



46 



SA L V A DOR 




SENIOR DON EDUARDO POIRIER. 
Minister from Salvador to Mexico. 



ground, shallow ploughing and the sowing of 
the seed broadcast being all that is necessar5^ 
This is done in the spring, and it grows and 
matures so quickly that by midsummer it is 
six feet high and read}?" for cutting. The first 
5^ear the crop is not large, but the second 
5^ear it is at the fullest 3deld. The first 5^ear's 
crop is called tinta nueva, the second tinta 
j-etono. As soon as it is cut the manufacture 
begins, and b}^ November it is read}^ for 
market. 

On the 28th of August last a very im- 
portant enterprise was inaugurated with appropriate ceremonies. It was the 
opening of the "Central American Mint, Limited." The industry has been 
pushed with astonishing rapidity, and has made a most favorable impression 
of the pluck and energy of the British on the minds of the progressive Salva- 
dorians. This country is making rapid strides in all the arts of peace, and 
President Ezeta's regime will long be remembered as an era of unusual ad- 
vancement. When the National Mint is fully established a gold standard will 
be fixed in the country. The development of the mineral wealth is as yet in 
its infancy, and the eyes of the far-seeing capitalists of many nations are 
turned toward this little repubUc. They will find here not only nature's 
eldorado, but an intelligent people and a liberal government that will heartily 
co-operate in every effort that tends to the development of this glorious country. 
And now to bid farewell to Salvador, not without regret, for I love the 
way the sun shines among the palm trees, the way the shadows extend along 
the high hills and mountahis, the quiet lull of the noon-day heat, the cooling 
breezes that waft over the gloom of the evening, and I love the debonnair 
land of roses and love. 

Salvador, home of heroes born, where they cast themselves with their 
swords into the heat of battle, to conquer or die— full of love for the land 
whose blood has imprinted on the forehead of many a soldier Excelsior. 



